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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

No-strings-attached sex rarely comes without entanglements. The men and women in this film both seem to enjoy, initially, an arrangement that is all about sex without commitment, but soon start to develop feelings for their partners. One woman is very sensitive about her weight, despite the fact that she seems to have an average build. In a terrible fight, her boyfriend goes for the jugular and needles her about it.

Positive Role Models & Representations

The four characters are, at the core, well-meaning, but they all seem somewhat adrift in life, and seem to place a strong emphasis on sex rather than intimacy.

Violence

One drunken fistfight and several intense arguments.

Sex

The entire story revolves around sex. Two women, looking for no-strings-attached sex, pick up a pair of guys that they mistakenly think are gigolos. Most of the film features the two couples either having sex or discussing sex. There are scenes that feature bondage, role-playing, oral sex, and anal sex, and plenty of frank talk about all of the above. Given the explicit nature of the movie, it almost seems odd there is no actual nudity, male or female. The characters are always covered by sheets when in bed, and rarely seem to actually be naked, though women are sometimes seen in their bras.

Language

Quite profane. Characters drop the F-bomb into almost every sentence, it seems, using the word both to emphasize various points and to discuss their sexual activities. Also includes “a—hole,” “dick,” “bitch,” “Goddamn” and “s--t.”

Consumerism

Some brand names are mentioned, including Cosmopolitan magazine and Drakkar Noir cologne.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Several characters smoke cigarettes regularly. Several scenes feature drinking, at bars or at parties, and some people seem pretty drunk at times. A few scenes feature people smoking marijuana.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this mature drama focuses on the age-old question of whether people can have sex without becoming romantically attached. The twist here is that it’s the women who are pursuing the casual encounter, but it’s less surprising that the main characters all start to develop feelings for each other. The film shows adults in adult situations, with plenty of drinking and smoking and a few people smoking marijuana. There is plenty of profanity and many explicit discussions about sexual activities. The numerous, graphic sex scenes feature lots of thrusting and sound effects, but no actual nudity.

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What's the story?

Donna (Amber Benson) and Christi Ann (Kristen Kerr), two Los Angeles roommates, decide to try something new: hiring male prostitutes they hope to pick up at a bar. But as it turns out, they’ve mistaken two construction workers, Joe (Johann Urb) and Stanny (Stevie Long), recently transplanted from New York, for professionals. They pair off, but what appears to be a transaction -- it’s not; the guys aren’t hustlers -- ends up a friends-with-benefits situation. They invite the men to live in a cabana next to their house, and that soon turns complicated when love develops between the two couples.

Is it any good?

With its graphic sex scenes and constant swearing, STRICTLY SEXUAL is strictly grown-up fare. But it’s grown-up fare done badly. Though the female leads show promise, their male counterparts offer sub-par performances, either overacting or underacting moments. Still, the acting’s not the biggest problem with it. The writing is. Riddled with expository dialogue, it’s the epitome of telling, not showing. Scene after scene has characters sitting down ruminating, but the conversations offer little wisdom. For a movie about sex and relationships, it’s a snoozer.

The film does attempt to untangle the mess that is modern relationships, and for that, it deserves some credit. (The subject’s certainly worth exploring, despite repeated attempts by other movies.) And in some ways, it captures a certain kindness in friendships -- not just among women, but among men, too -- that’s worthy of celebrating. But there aren’t enough of these moments to rescue the film from tedium.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about romance and sex. Do you think it’s possible for two people to have a strictly-sexual relationship, without developing romantic feelings for each other? Do you think such a relationship is healthy?

Do you think it’s unusual that one of the female characters seems so interested in sex without romance, even more than her male partner?

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